12th August 1996
The Rt. Hon Malcolm Rifkind QC MP
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Re: Reply from Malcolm Rifkind to Michael Morris MP (25/6/96)
concerning my earlier letter, and the Murder of Greek Cypriots
in the Buffer Zone.
Dear Mr Rifkind,
I am writing to you in response to the Barbaric Atrocities perpetrated
by the Turkish Occupation Forces and Turkish Terrorists, which
resulted in the Televised Murder
of a Greek Cypriot protester, newly-wed Tasos Isaac, aged 24,
from Paralimni, with an expectant wife, while the United Nations
watched on unwilling to take action to prevent the loss of life.
From the Television coverage
shown world wide, Turkish Forces were shown beating Greek Cypriots
trapped in barbed wire, while the UN stood watching the murderous
acts. It is obvious that the UN is either Unable or Unwilling
to guarantee the safety of Cypriots of both communities on the
island. This comes on-top of the Turkish Murder on 3rd
June of Stelios Panagi Kalli, 19, a refugee from the Turkish-occupied
village of Kythrea, the UN again watched on doing nothing to help.
The same situation occurred in Bosnia while the UN watched on
as the Sebranica massacre was perpetrated.
I ask again as in my previous letter of 4th June 1996
what action will the British Government take to guarantee the
safety of Greek Cypriots and British Citizens who wish to cross
over into north Cyprus as it their right, and will you Condemn
Turkey for the Murders of the Greek Cypriots by Turkish troops,
the Turkish authorities refusal to allow the European Bikers to
cross over at the Ledra Palace check point (which would have prevented
the troubles) and Turkeys refusal to allow any Greek Cypriot to
travel freely in their own country. Will you also take action
to ensure that the murderers are brought to justice.
It has also come to my attention that the Turkish troops were
ordered to kill the Bikers, and that members of the Turkish terrorist
organisation the ''Gray Wolves" were brought onto the island
at the request of Turkish Cypriot terrorist leader Rauf Denktash
(in his interview on Cyprus, Sigma TV, 1900 GMT 1st
March 1996 he admitted to the mass genocide of the over 1600 missing
persons) and instigated by the Government of Turkey. It was this
information and appeals by the UN Secretary-General that caused
President Clerides of Cyprus to call off the peaceful Berlin to
Kyrenia Free Movement Motorcycle Rally, even though the UN charter
guarantees freedom of movement, thus compromising the UN.
Why has the UN force been allowed to dwindle and should you not
consider replacing UNFICYP (which was unable to stop the Turkish
invasion of 1974) with a European Union or NATO force with the
right to use all available means to safeguard the communities
and guarantee freedom of movement across the whole island. Turkey
should not have the right to object to this since UN Resolution
3212 (XXIX) (1974): Urges the speedy withdrawal of all foreign
armed forces and foreign military presence and personnel from
the Republic of Cyprus and the cessation of all foreign interference
in its affairs.
In view of resolution 3212 (XXIX) (1974):
Will you condemn Turkeys interference by threatening the protesters
and ordering the Turkish Forces to kill the protesters and allowing
the "Grey Wolves" to enter north Cyprus and stir up
trouble in the Turkish Cypriot community.
Also will you condemn Turkeys settlement of north Cyprus with
settlers from Turkey who are not Cypriots.
The over 80,000 Turkish settlers brought in by Turkey and the
30,000 Turkish troops form no part of the Cypriot community and
they now outnumber the Turkish Cypriots on the island. Turkey
had no right under the UN charter (or the 1960 constitution, which
is overridden by the UN charter) to intervene militarily in Cyprus
and the problem in Cyprus is and always has been a problem with
interference by an aggressor, Turkey.
All negotiations for a solution should be between the Governments
of Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey since those are the only governments
recognised by the UN and the Cyprus Constitution. The Representative
of the Turkish Cypriots should only be allowed to take part if
he has been elected in free democratic elections (monitored by
the UN or EU) among the Turkish Cypriot Community alone, with
no electoral rights given to the Turkish settlers and no Turkish
interference. At present the terrorist leader Rauf Denktash is
maintained in power by interference from Turkey and the Turkish
settlers. Furthermore the terrorist Rauf Denktash should be arrested
immediately when he leaves occupied Cyprus and tried for the war
crimes proven by the European Commission of Human Rights reports
I, II, III, and the future report IV.
I disagree with the statements you made in your reply to Michael Morris
MP (25th June 1996), where you said the problem in
Cyprus is intercommunal. It is not an intercommunal dispute since
both Greek and Turkish Cypriots get along with each other in the
United Kingdom, in contrast to the problems in Northern Ireland,
there are no Greek or Turkish terrorist bombings in the UK. This
proves that both communities can live together. The only reason
why both communities could not live together in Cyprus is because
of Interference by Turkey which since Cyprus' Independence has
bombed both communities from the air, and has armed Terrorists
from the Turkish mainland to enter Cyprus and stir up trouble.
The Turks forced most of the Turkish Cypriots to leave their villages
and invade North Nicosia in the 1960's bringing about the creation
of UFICYP. Britain knew this was happening and yet did nothing
to stop the Turkish air-raids and state sponsored terrorism. The
problem in Cyprus is that of an external terrorist aggressor,
Turkey.
In view of the recent statements made by Western Leaders concerning
terrorism, what action will Britain take to stop Turkey from sponsoring
State Terrorism internationally and against its own people.
Furthermore it is obvious from Turkeys actions in violating the
No-Fly Zone in Northern Iraq and massacring the innocent Kurdish
Civilians that the Zone was set-up to protect, and from Turkeys
illegal claims of Greek islands including Imia (which nearly resulted
in World War III) and Gavdos in the Aegean and now its claim on
all Aegean islands within 6 miles of Turkeys coast, and Turkeys
threat of war if Greece extends its Territorial Waters to the
12 mile limit allowed by international law, Turkey is a Terrorist
State.
What action will be taken by you to prevent Turkey from attacking
or threatening its neighbours.
Why is the British Government allowing Turkey to receive Military
Aid from other countries (including the USA) when this aid is
being used for aggression and for supporting its over 30,000 illegal
troops in northern Cyprus. What action will you take to stop all
military aid to Turkey.
Furthermore in view of Turkeys claims on the territory of an other
NATO member (Greece) does this not justify Turkeys immediate Expulsion
from NATO. Justify why Turkey should remain a member when the
Soviet Threat no-longer exists and it now has a Muslim Fundamentalist
Government.
Furthermore it has also come to my attention that the Muslim Fundamentalist
Government in Turkey is planning to convert the Church of Saint
(Agia) Sofia in Constantinople into a Mosque. This Church was
built by the first Christian Emperor Constantine(*)
in Honor of his Mother who brought Christianity to the Roman Empire.
It is sacrilege to use it for any other purpose, and it should
be brought under the jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Ecumenical
Patriarch. What action will you take to ensure this.
UN General Assembly Resolution 37/253 (1983) states the General
Assembly:
6. Demands the immediate and effective implementation of resolution 3212 (XXIX), unanimously adopted by the General Assembly and endorsed by the Security Council in its resolution 365 (1974) of 13 December 1974, and of the subsequent resolutions of the Assembly and the Council of Cyprus which provide the valid and essential basis for the solution of the problem of Cyprus;
7. Considers the withdrawal of all occupation forces from the Republic of Cyprus as an essential basis for a speedy and mutually acceptable solution of the Cyprus problem;
8. Demands the immediate withdrawal of all occupation forces
from the Republic of Cyprus;
What is the British Government going to do to get this Resolution
and all UN Resolutions implemented immediately.
The only course forward is to apply sustained and meaningful pressure
on Turkey.
For far too long the West has appeased Turkey and gained nothing
in return. The west has allowed Turkey to, commit mass genocide,
acts of aggression, state assignations including that of the Turkish
Cypriot journalist Kutlu Adal columnist with "Yeni Duzen",
sponsor state terrorist organisations (the "Gray Wolves"),
ban political parties that it does not agree with, imprison elected
MP's, kidnap foreign nationals and illegally imprison them (Athanasios
Tsiklikas, and Demetris Botsis, 35, both living in France who
were abducted on 1st August off the coast of Cyprus),
and violate the rights of free movement and free speech of its
own people.
Turkey cannot hope to become part of the Civilised World with
the barbaric actions it has perpetrated.
My suggestions for the action Britain should take, unilaterally
if necessary are as follows. I would like your opinion on these
and the reasons why they have not yet been implemented:
Please reply as soon as possible
Yours Sincerely,
Argyros George Argyrou BSc. ARCS.
cc. Rt Hon Michael Morris MP for Northampton South.
Rt Hon John Major The Prime Minister
Rt Hon Robin Cook Labour Foreign Affairs
Rt Hon Menzies Campbell Lib. Dem. Foreign Affairs
| Letter 1 | Reply 1 | Letter 2 | Letter 3 | Reply 2/3 |
(* Correction:The Present Agia Sofia was actually built by Justinian )